Branching Out/Egin - The Communities and Nature Initiative
If you're looking for volunteering opportunities working in the natural environment, then why not get involved with this initiative:
Tir Coed has teamed up with the Wildlife Trust of South and West Wales to offer volunteering experiences in woodland and countryside management, as well as traditional green woodwork techniques, while improving Nature Reserves in Ceredigion, Carmarthenshire and Pembrokeshire that are managed by the Wildlife Trust. You will be working on sites that have been identified as being:
- Likely to attract more visitors; and
- Accessible for community involvement.
The 3-year initiative will engage with young people, aged 16 - 25 years, who are:
- Not in employment, education or training; or
- Young offenders, or are at risk of offending.
Ten separate groups of young people from the local areas, led by Tir Coed approved tutors, will meet regularly to carry out work on six separate Reserves. A Mentor will support youth volunteers while they are on the programme.
 Following four Taster Sessions, the groups will carry out a programme of countryside management and greenwood construction tasks including:
- Safe use of hand tools,
- Creating footpaths and exercise trails,
- Building steps, bridges and boardwalks,
- Building wooden shelters, wildlife hides and benches,
- Creating site interpretation installations, and
- Helping to design promotional leaflets.
Open days, promotional leaflets and fliers will be used to raise the profile of the Reserves to visitors, both local and from further afield; local schools and community groups will be encouraged to use the Reserves as an ongoing educational and social resource.
A Mentor will support the volunteers to overcome any barriers to participation. Working with the volunteers, local land-based businesses and with other agencies the Mentor will develop progression routes to further learning, volunteer/work placements and employment, based on the volunteers' chosen field of interest.
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